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Monday, July 3, 2017

@PinkDotSg 2017

This year's Pink Dot 2017 in Singapore is nothing short of controversy. Held on the 1st of July 2017 at the Speaker's Corner, Hong Lim Park -- This annual, non-profit, free-for-all event, in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community in Singapore - has attracted the attention of the-powers-that-be in the Singaporean government, nearly 8 years after it was first launched in 2009!

Rules -- Restrictions -- Sponsor Dramas -- Barricades -- Security Personnels -- All these steps were taken by the Singaporean government to ensure that @PinkDotSg2017 is safe from untoward incidences.

Nevertheless, Pink Dot 2017 Singapore went by peacefully, and it was attended by thousands of Singaporeans and PRs, before ending the night with the release of Pink Balloons and a sea wave of pink light-ups!

While gay pride parades are huge events all over the world, Pink Dot has come under increasing restrictions in the tightly controlled city-state. It remains confined to a tiny park at Hong Lim Park's Speaker's Corner, despite its ever increasing attendance over the years, especially last year's estimated 20,000-strong crowd.

This year's edition has been bogged with various restrictions from the Singaporean authorities. For the first time ever, the Singaporean authorities decided to :

1) Ban foreigners from participating in the event. Only Singaporeans and Permanent Residents are allowed -- You need to produce your Identification Card at the security check point -- Barricades are set up to segregate the participants of PinkDot and to Non-citizens, they can still gather around Hong Lim Park's compound, just that they can't enter the event.

2) Increase Security Officers and Tighter Security Check -- No drugs, No sharp objects, No flammable Liquids --- Nevertheless, this is a very good safety measures taken by the Singaporean government, due to the fact of the increasing threats from the ISIS and terrorists alike in South East Asia.

3) Ban Foreign Company Sponsorships/Fundings for the event -- Pink Dot called for a Red Dot for Pink Dot campaign and rallied 120 local sponsors to chip in a total of $243,000, making it the highest sponsorship amount the event has received to date --- One of the local sponsors is ShareTea, providing drinks to the participants

4) The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) has also weighed in on the controversy referring the advertisement found Cathay Cineleisure by Pink Dot 2017. They have written to Cathay to inform it to amend the advertisement and will be following-up on its compliance.

And given the high profile nature of the 38 Oxley Road, Lee Kuan Yew's house feud between Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong and his brother, Lee Hsien Yang & sister Dr,Lee Wei Ling..... It's hard not to miss this Facebook post by Lee Hsien Yang's second son, the 31 year old Li Huanwu, publicly urging members of the LGBT community to take up the moral responsibility of showing up in support of Pink Dot. The post has been liked by 1400++ and shared by 300++ people

An aerial view of Pink Dot Sg 2017

A Pink Volkswagen Van -- good for social media pictures ...

And of course, we must not miss out the cuties in Pink DOT as well...

Almost UNREAL seeing many handsome guys in Pink Dot, right? Especially to the straight people, whom they will shout their cliche statements " He is so handsome and yet still single, must be gay - LAH"

It's also gathering and show of support from the families of LGBTs ...

Every religion preaches tolerance .. A scene which you may not see, happening in Malaysia, like EVER !!....

You are supposed to wear Pink for Pink Dot --- duhhhh

SO CUTE!!!

SO MANLY!!!

SO SWEET!!!

SO SENSUAL!!!

Pink Dot 2017 even got the support from fellow Malaysians, which are allowed to mingle outside of the barricade

Nevertheless, Pink Dot 2017 Singapore was a success..

As what PinkDotSg17 spokesperson Mr,Choa said " Despite the barriers that have been placed in front of us, we are immensely grateful for the massive support Singapore has shown, which we feel reflects a turning point in attitudes towards the LGBT community within the greater Singapore fabric. Even with this restricted space that limits Singapore’s true propensity for love, we feel that we have taken yet another important step in achieving true equality for all Singaporeans"

Disclaimer

Simon Lover Blog's pictures are collected from the web. If any owner of the pictures has an objection to the picture being displayed, please e-mail me and it will be removed, together with a sincere apology. simonlover83@gmail.com